Coele-Syria valley (also called the Biqaʽ) that runs between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges. Others say it was farther N up this valley, halfway between Baalbek and Riblah at the sources of the Litani and Orontes Rivers. Yet others suggest it was still farther N where the pass opens up between Homs and the sea.—Ezek. 47:20.

RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL

As an independent kingdom its King Toi (Tou) sent his son Joram (Hadoram) to congratulate King David for having defeated their common enemy Hadadezer. (2 Sam. 8:3, 9, 10; 1 Chron. 18:3, 9, 10) However, during Solomon’s reign the kingdom of Hamath seems to have been under Israel’s control, for Solomon built storage cities in that region. (2 Chron. 8:3, 4) After Solomon’s death Hamath gained its independence, except for a brief period in the ninth century B.C.E. when Jeroboam II temporarily brought it again under Israelite control. (2 Ki. 14:28) About this time it was described as “populous Hamath.”—Amos 6:2.

In the eighth century B.C.E. Hamath and her neighbors, including the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, were overrun by the Assyrian sweep to world domination. Assyria’s policy was to exchange and relocate her captives, and so people of Hamath were brought in to replace inhabitants of Samaria who, in turn, were moved to Hamath and other places. (2 Ki. 17:24; 19:12, 13; Isa. 10:9-11; 37:12, 13) The Hamathites then set up in the high places of Samaria images of their god Ashima, even though this worthless god had proved to be helpless against the Assyrians.—2 Ki. 17:29, 30; 18:33, 34; Isa. 36:18, 19.

According to an extant cuneiform inscription (British Museum catalog No. 21946), after the battle of Carchemish in 625 B.C.E. (Jer. 46:2), Nebuchadnezzar’s forces overtook and destroyed the fleeing Egyptians in the district of Hamath. (Chronicles of Chaldean Kings, D. J. Wiseman, 1961, p. 69) In this same area, a few years earlier, Pharaoh Nechoh had taken King Jehoahaz captive. (2 Ki. 23:31-33) Then in 607 B.C.E., with the fall of Jerusalem, Zedekiah and other captives were taken to Riblah in the region of Hamath, and there before his eyes Zedekiah’s sons were put to death along with others of the nobility. (2 Ki. 25:18-21; Jer. 39:5, 6; 52:9, 10, 24-27) Nevertheless, God promised that in due time he would restore a remnant of his captive people, including those in the land of Hamath.—Isa. 11:11, 12.

HAMATH-ZOBAH

(Haʹmath-zoʹbah).

A place apparently conquered by King Solomon and thus figuring in his only military engagement alluded to in Scripture. (2 Chron. 8:3) The exact identity of Hamath-zobah is uncertain. Hamath and Zobah may have been adjoining kingdoms (compare 1 Chronicles 18:9; 2 Chronicles 8:4), whence the compound name “Hamath-zobah.” That two neighboring geographical locations may be joined in this way is illustrated by 1 Chronicles 6:78. The literal Hebrew of this text reads “the Jordan Jericho” or “the Jordan of Jericho,” and is usually rendered “the Jordan at [by] Jericho.”—NW, RS, AV.

HAMMATH

(Hamʹmath) [hot spring].

1. The “father” of the house of Rechab and an ancestor of certain Kenites.—1 Chron. 2:55.

2. A fortified city of Naphtali. (Josh. 19:32, 35) It is generally identified with Hammam Tabariyeh, about a mile and a half (2.4 kilometers) S of Tiberias on the W side of the Sea of Galilee. The sulphurous spring there apparently gave Hammath its name (meaning “hot spring”). If, as most scholars believe, Hammoth-dor (Josh. 21:32) and Hammon (1 Chron. 6:76) are alternate names for the same location, Hammath also functioned as a Levite city.

HAMMEDATHA

(Ham·me·daʹtha) [possibly, given by the moon].

An Agagite; father of Haman, who plotted the extermination of the Jews in the days of Mordecai and Esther.—Esther 3:1, 6.

HAMMER

A tool used for pounding and driving; a mallet. Hammers were employed for driving in nails (Jer. 10:4) and tent pins (Judg. 4:21), in the quarrying operation for splitting stones by repeated pounding, as well as in shaping and facing building stones (1 Ki. 6:7), and for shaping metal, as in the making of idols.—Isa. 41:7; 44:12.

The various materials used for making hammerheads included stone, metal and wood. Likely the hammer or mallet used by Jael to drive the tent pin into the temples of Sisera was made of wood.—Judg. 4:21; 5:26.

In a figurative sense the word of Jehovah’s judgment is compared to a forge hammer that smashes the crag. (Jer. 23:29) Also, in Jehovah’s hand, Babylon was like a forge hammer, breaking nations and kingdoms in pieces.—Jer. 50:23; compare Jeremiah 25:8, 9, 17-26.

HAMMOLECHETH

(Ham·moʹle·cheth) [the queen].

The sister of Manasseh’s grandson Gilead. She gave birth to Ishhod, Abi-ezer and Mahlah.—1 Chron. 7:14, 17, 18.

HAMMON

(Hamʹmon) [perhaps, hot spring].

1. A city on the boundary of Asher. (Josh. 19:24-28) It is generally identified with Umm el-ʽAwamid, on the Mediterranean seacoast, about eight miles (12.9 kilometers) S of Tyre.

2. A site in the territory of Naphtali given to the Levites (1 Chron. 6:71, 76); apparently the same as Hammath.—Josh. 19:35; see HAMMATH No. 2.

HAMMOTH-DOR

(Hamʹmoth-dor) [hot springs of Dor].

A city of Naphtali given to Gershonite Levites. (Josh. 21:27, 32) It is apparently the same as Hammath.—Josh. 19:35; see HAMMATH No. 2.

HAMMUEL

(Hamʹmu·el) [possibly, warmth of God].

Son of Mishma of the tribe of Simeon.—1 Chron. 4:24-26.

HAMONAH

(Ha·moʹnah) [crowd, the feminine form of Ha·mohn’].

A symbolic city in the vicinity of the valley in which Gog and his crowd are to be buried, after their combined attack on God’s people ends in defeat and mass slaughter. The city derives its name from that circumstance, as a memorial of Jehovah’s victory over these foes. (Ezek. 39:16) A city implies an organized body of persons, here apparently relating to the organization for bone disposal described in Ezekiel 39:11-15.—See GOG No. 2.

HAMON-GOG

(Haʹmon-Gog) [Gogʼs crowd].

The English derivation of the Hebrew name of a valley, evidently symbolic, described as “the valley of those passing through on the east of the [Dead] sea.” In this valley, Gog and all his forces are buried after their destruction by Jehovah.—Ezek. 39:11, 15, NW, 1960 ed., ftns.; see GOG No. 2.

HAMOR

(Haʹmor) [he-ass].

A Hivite chieftain; father of Shechem. It was from the sons of Hamor that Jacob purchased a tract of land where he pitched his tent and then later set up an altar. After Shechem violated Jacob’s daughter Dinah, Simeon and Levi, in avenging their sister, killed both Hamor and his son.—Gen. 33:18-20; 34:1, 2, 25, 26.

HAMSTRING

In quadrupeds the hamstrings are the back tendons above the hock of the hind legs. Hamstringing, the act of cutting these tendons, cripples the animal, rendering it unfit for work or warfare The arbitrariness of Jacob’s sons Simeon and Levi found expression in their hamstringing bulls, likely when executing vengeance on the Hivites of Shechem. (Gen. 49:5, 6) In carrying out war operations, the Israelites hamstrung the horses of their enemies, on one occasion Joshua being specifically directed to do so by Jehovah. (Josh. 11:6, 9; 2 Sam. 8:3, 4; 1 Chron. 18:3, 4) This was the simplest method of putting horses out of the battle, and after being disabled in this way, the horses undoubtedly were killed, destroyed along with the war chariots. By not appropriating to themselves the horses of their enemies and then using them in warfare, the Israelites would be safeguarded from being ensnared into relying on horses instead of on Jehovah for protection.—Compare Deuteronomy 17:16; Isaiah 31:1, 3.

HAMUL

(Haʹmul) [spared], Hamulites (Ha·muʹlites).

The younger son of Perez and grandson of Judah, from whom the Hamulites descended.—Gen. 46:12; Num. 26:21; 1 Chron. 2:5.

HAMUTAL

(Ha·muʹtal) [possibly, father-in-law is dew].

Daughter of “Jeremiah from Libnah”; wife of King Josiah and mother of Jehoahaz and Mattaniah (Zedekiah), both of whom reigned as kings over Judah.—2 Ki. 23:30, 31; 24:17, 18; Jer. 52:1.

HANAMEL

(Hanʹa·mel) [possibly, God is gracious].

Son of Shallum the paternal uncle of the prophet Jeremiah. It was from Hanamel that the prophet bought the field that was in Anathoth at the time the Babylonians were laying siege to Jerusalem.—Jer. 32:1-12.

HANAN

(Haʹnan) [gracious].

1. One of the “sons of Shashak”; a Benjamite.—1 Chron. 8:1, 23-25.

2. Son of Maacah; one of the mighty men of David’s military forces.—1 Chron. 11:26, 43.

3. One of the six sons of Azel; a descendant of King Saul.—1 Chron. 8:33-38; 9:44.

4. Son of Igdaliah. It was in the dining room of the sons of Hanan that the prophet Jeremiah tested the Rechabites’ obedience to the command of their forefather Jehonadab not to drink wine.—Jer. 35:3-6.

5. Head of a family of Nethinim temple slaves, members of which returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:1, 2, 43, 46; Neh. 7:46, 49.

6. One of the Levites who assisted Ezra in explaining the Law to the congregation of Israel assembled in the public square before the Water Gate of Jerusalem. (Neh. 8:1, 7) He may have been the same as No. 7 and/or No. 10.

7. A Levite whose descendant, if not himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” contracted during Nehemiah’s governorship. (Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 9, 10) If it was Hanan himself who sealed this agreement, he may be the same as No. 6 above and/or No. 10 below.

8, 9. Two “heads of the people” whose descendants, if not themselves, attested to the confession contract during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 22, 26.

10. Son of Zaccur; a faithful Levite appointed by Nehemiah to distribute the due portions to the Levites, under the direction of Shelemiah, Zadok and Pedaiah. (Neh. 13:13) He may be the same as No. 6 and/or No. 7 above.

HANANEL

See TOWER.

HANANI

(Ha·naʹni) [possibly, Jehovah has been gracious].

1. One of Heman’s fourteen sons. Hanani was designated by lot to lead the eighteenth group of musicians at the sanctuary in the time of King David.—1 Chron. 25:4-6, 9, 25.

2. The seer or visionary who rebuked King Asa of Judah for making an alliance with the king of Syria instead of relying upon Jehovah, and who was put in the house of the stocks because the king took offense at what he said. (2 Chron. 16:1-3, 7-10) Hanani apparently was the father of Jehu, the prophet who rebuked Baasha the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah.—1 Ki. 16:1-4, 7; 2 Chron. 19:2, 3; 20:34.

3. A priest of the “sons of Immer” among those dismissing their foreign wives in compliance with Ezra’s exhortation.—Ezra 2:36, 37; 10:10, 11, 20, 44.

4. Nehemiah’s brother. At the time of his coming to Shushan, Hanani, along with other men of Judah, apprised Nehemiah of the condition of Jerusalem’s wall. (Neh. 1:2, 3) After the wall was rebuilt, Nehemiah put his brother Hanani and also Hananiah in command of Jerusalem.—Neh. 7:1, 2.

5. A Levite priest and musician who participated in the procession arranged by Nehemiah at the inauguration of Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 12:31-36.

HANANIAH

(Han·a·niʹah) [Jehovah has been gracious].

1. Son of Shashak and head of a Benjamite house.—1 Chron. 8:1, 24, 25, 28.

2. One of the fourteen sons of Heman and head of the sixteenth of the twenty-four service groups of Levitical musicians appointed by David to serve at the sanctuary.—1 Chron. 25:1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 23.

3. A high-ranking officer (‘prince’) in King Uzziah’s army.—2 Chron. 26:11.

4. Father of the Zedekiah who was a prince during the reign of Jehoiakim the king of Judah.—Jer. 36:12.

5. Son of Azzur; a false prophet from the Benjamite city of Gibeon who opposed Jehovah’s prophet Jeremiah. During the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, while Jeremiah encouraged the people to bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and thus keep living (Jer. 27:12-14), Hananiah prophesied that Babylon’s power would be broken within two years, the Jewish exiles there would be released and all the confiscated utensils of the temple would be returned. To illustrate his point, Hananiah removed the wooden yoke from off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. Jehovah then commanded Jeremiah to inform Hananiah that the yoke bar of wood was to be replaced by an iron yoke, and that Hananiah’s death would occur within that year. True to the prophecy, the false prophet died in that year.—Jer. chap. 28.

6. Probably the grandfather of Irijah the officer at the gate of Benjamin who seized the prophet Jeremiah, falsely charging that he was attempting to desert to the Chaldeans.—Jer. 37:1-15.

7. The Hebrew name of Shadrach, one of Daniel’s three Jewish companions taken to Babylon in 617 B.C.E.—Dan. 1:6, 7; see SHADRACH.

8. Son of Zerubbabel and father of Pelatiah and Jeshaiah.—1 Chron. 3:19, 21.

9. A descendant of Bebai who was among those heeding Ezra’s exhortation to dismiss their foreign wives.—Ezra 10:10, 11, 28, 44.

10. A Levite priest and head of the paternal house of Jeremiah during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh.12:12, 26.

11. A member of the ointment mixers who did repair work on the wall of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time.—Neh. 3:8.

12. Son of Shelemiah; one who shared in repairing the wall of Jerusalem in 455 B.C.E.—Neh. 3:30.

13. A priestly trumpeter who participated in the ceremonies arranged by Nehemiah at the inauguration of Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 12:31, 40, 41.

14. One of the heads of the people whose descendant, if not himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” contracted during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 23.

15. The prince of the Castle, a trustworthy man fearing God more than many others. Nehemiah put him in command of Jerusalem along with Hanani.—Neh. 7:2.

HAND

[Heb., yadh (the word most widely used); kaph, also used for “palm” (or “sole” of the foot); ya·minʹ, “right hand”; s^emoʼlʹ, “left hand.” Gr., kheir,